[Closed] The Empire STRIKES back...Who's striking then...

LOL! in the same way as the governments management of the country...

I'm so glad I'm not in the public sector.

With the petrol prices, energy companies hiking up rates etc. There's just nothing left to fund a pension at the end of the month.

thats an interesting thought - however what would happen if someone just took the money (as another tax) - the government could run a 'average income' scheme for the whole country - everyone chucks in 15% of salery and gets (say) 1.5% of average salery for each year you contribute, linked to inflation. If you were forced to pay, it'd fix a lot of issues

We've all had to make sacrifices after the financial problems, this is just another facet of that. My wifes business failed due to the credit crunch and left us with a massive debt - did I go on strike cause it wasn't fair - no I've worked bloody hard to dig myself out of that hole.

Yes we know that working in the public sector we've seen job loses, pay freezes and restructuring too. I'm working hard now too so when I retire I have a nest egg but that's under threat and we've had enough off just accepting it. There is no need just to accept it so we're standing up. Just because private sectors don't always take action does't mean we shouldn't.

thats an interesting thought - however what would happen if someone just took the money (as another tax) - the government could run a 'average income' scheme for the whole country - everyone chucks in 15% of salery and gets (say) 1.5% of average salery for each year you contribute, linked to inflation. If you were forced to pay, it'd fix a lot of issues

A good idea.

after these strikes have finished there will be whole scale privaitation and closure of a lot of departments, with the private sector creating new ghost ones.

We only have to look at the apst to see what was privatiseed or sold off or even closed d down.

CEGB,
BRITISH GAS,
BRITISH STEEL CORPORATION,
NCB,
BRITISH LEYLAND, CAR AND TRUCK AND BUS,
BRITISH RAIL,
NATIOANL CARRIERS,
THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY THAT WAS OWNED BY THE GOVERNMNET,
NUCLEAR POWER,
THE GPO, TELEPHONE SIDE , NOE BT.
and lots lots more.

All split up, and sold, or just destroyed.

Back to the OP; I am striking.

Ah yes the demise of BL had absolutely nothing to do with the awful management of the company, it was all the unions fault

Also, let's not forget that British Leyland was nationalised because it had failed as a private-sector company. Fast-forward to 2008...

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

Oh, and I'm striking too.

BL, was an amalgamation of numerous truck/bus/coach and car companies along with a few others along the way.

I read this quote from someone in the TUC;
"All money they've asked for is going straight back to the Treasury, going to pay off the debt"

Well at least they understand the reasons, its just a shame that they cant understand why the country needs to get away from being billions in debt and that every little helps 🙂

I'm sure my company pension (which has changed three times in the last 8 years) is bugger all when compared to public sector but do I moan? no, I just get on with it

So, your company directors are probably taking ever more in wages and benefits for themselves, in the mean time reducing the pay/pensions/conditions of ordinary workers (at least that's what's happening in most sectors/companies), and you think it's a good thing that you don't moan and 'just get on with it'?

Well at least they understand the reasons, its just a shame that they cant understand why the country needs to get away from being billions in debt and that every little helps

We could of course crack down on tax evasion by the mega-rich and large corporations, rather than the pay/pensions of ordinary workers, but of course that wouldn't go down well with the Tories' financial backers.

Well at least they understand the reasons, its just a shame that they cant understand why the country needs to get away from being billions in debt and that every little helps

So if the government proposes to raise your income tax by 10%, presumably you'd be quite happy for them to do so?

We could of course crack down on tax evasion by the mega-rich and large corporations, rather than the pay/pensions of ordinary workers, but of course that wouldn't go down well with the Tories' financial backers.

What kind of socialist nonsense is this? 😉

crack down on tax evasion by the mega-rich and large corporations, rather than the pay/pensions of ordinary workers, but of course that wouldn't go down well with the Tories' financial backers.

which political party is going to do that, i certainly dont remember getting that sort of warm fuzzy socialist feeling with previous governments

which political party is going to do that, i certainly dont remember getting that sort of warm fuzzy socialist feeling with previous governments

Much as I despair at Labour these days, at least there is still some kind of influence from the unions to act against corporate greed etc - pretty pathetic admittedly but perhaps marginally better than the current mob.

Also, let's not forget that British Leyland was nationalised because it had failed as a private-sector company.

Aha, but do you recall the precursor, and why it failed?

[i]BLMC was created in 1968 by the merger of British Motor Holdings (BMH) and Leyland Motor Corporation (LMC), [b]encouraged by Tony Benn as chairman of the Industrial Reorganisation Committee created[/b] by the Wilson Government. At the time, LMC was a successful manufacturer, while BMH was perilously close to collapse. The Government was hopeful LMC's expertise would revive the ailing BMH.
[/i]

So, profitable private company burdened with millstone by Labour government intervention, leading to failure.

Fast-forward to 2008...

Ooh, yes - Lets 😀

[i]On 18 September 2008 the terms of the recommended offer for HBOS by Lloyds TSB were announced.
A group of Scottish businessmen challenged the right of the UK government to approve the deal by overruling UK competition law, but this was rejected. The takeover was approved by HBOS shareholders on 12 December.
[b]Prime Minister Gordon Brown personally brokered the deal[/b] with Lloyds TSB, an official said: “It is not the role of a Prime Minister to tell a City institution what to do”
[/i]

And we all know what happened to Lloyds TSB 😆

Well done! All you've proved is that the right wingers were right - the government should never have intervened, as it inevitably leads to disaster

binners - Member

I think the unions were far too keen to get out on strike. They need to be shrewd. The Tories will be. Unfortunately, I feel this is the opening salvo from them. I think they're settling in for the long haul. A prolonged battle. With who-knows-what ultimate aims. Depressing

I'm a public sector worker and am not in a union - I don't agree with a strike at this time. Working to rule would have been a much better move; I think we are indeed in for the long-haul and IMO the unions have just played their strongest hand at the earliest opportunity.

I will therefore be crossing the picket line tomorrow morning, its not something I will particularly look forward to but I genuinely think striking now (not striking EVER) is wrong, and believe me when I've thought long and hard about it.

I know that I will not be alone in coming in too.

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Well done! All you've proved is that the right wingers were right - the government should never have intervened, as it inevitably leads to disaster

All I've proved is that the government intervenes after the private sector has royally screwed up.

I'm not sure why people are debating the British Leyland analogy. I fail to see the parallels between a vehicle manufacturer and a school

grum - Member

which political party is going to do that, i certainly dont remember getting that sort of warm fuzzy socialist feeling with previous governments

Much as I despair at Labour these days, at least there is still some kind of influence from the unions to act against corporate greed etc - pretty pathetic admittedly but perhaps marginally better than the current mob.

probably due to the £30+ million they donate p.a. via contributions, affliation fees and direct support for politians campaign's

http://order-order.com/tag/cash-for-votes/

Leyland was a very successful Trunk manufacturer before being brought down by the car part it took on?

I do this on my own I don't receive a pension nor can I afford one I earn under £30000 and have a family, my wife doesn't work as child care would be more than we earn! (she is a trained nurse)

So I pay for you and your family so you can live your life has some type of social dream !

big_n_daft - Member

probably due to the £30+ million they donate p.a. via contributions, affliation fees and direct support for politians campaign's

What, £30+ million [i]per year[/i] ? ffs.....are you bonkers ?